Coming Events
- Feb. 25, 2014 – Master Gardener Connect Session, Turfgrass Care and Management – Zac Reicher, 6:30 p.m., Extension Office
- Feb. 27, 2014 — Heuermann Lecture “Our Culture War Over Food and Farmingâ€, 3:30 p.m. Hardin Hall, Lincoln http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu/
- March 10, 2014 – Nebraska On-Farm Research Update, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., UNL’s ARDC near Mead
- March 11, 2014 – Nebraska On-Farm Research Update, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., York 4-H Building
- March 13, 2014 – Private Pesticide Training, 1:30 p.m., York 4-H Building
- March 21, 2014 – Chemigation Training, 1:00 p.m., York 4-H Building
Upper Big Blue NRD Cost Share Opportunities
I mentioned it last week, but want to remind producers that now is the time to be thinking about ordering your cost share equipment from the NRD before the funds run out. This equipment would pay even without cost share, but the cost share helps shorten the payback period. Information about the NRD cost share program is available on our website: http://york.unl.edu/crops-future. Click on the Upper Big Blue NRD Irrigation Equipment Cost Share Order Form link.
Hunter Safety Education Program Planned
Dan Barrett called in and asked me to mention that he and Gene Bergen will again be conducting Hunter Safety Education Training Feb. 20, 21, 24, and 25. The classes will be conducted in the 4-H Building. To enroll, go to http://huntsafenebraska.org. The classes will run from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. each evening. For more information, you can contact Dan at 402-366-4380.
Dan would also be a good person to contact about his trap shooting club. If you’re interested in other shooting sports programs, also contact Gerald or me at our office (402-362-5508) for more information about clubs in the York area.
Nebraska On-Farm Research Update Planned
As you know, several Educators and Extension Specialists, with support from the Nebraska Corn Board and Corn Growers Association, has been working the past couple of years to expand our Nebraska On-Farm Research efforts across Nebraska. We are planning to share the results of the 2013 studies at meeting at the ARDC near Mead and at the 4-H Building in York on March 10Â and 11Â respectively.
All area producers are invited to attend one of these two events to learn about the research results from our on-farm research studies in 2013 and learn how you can be involved in 2014 if you’d like! No cost to attend but please pre-register for meal count by calling (402)624-8030 for ARDC for the March 10 program or calling (402)362-5508 for March 11 program in York. Next week I’ll share more details about these meetings. More information about the On-Farm Research Updates is available at:  http://york.unl.edu/crops-future. Hopefully we’ll see you there!
York, Nebraska and National Corn Grower Efforts
Last week I spent a few days in Washington DC with other Nebraska Corn Grower members and the Nebraska Corn Grower staff. We had a couple of full days and were able to meet with Senator Mike Johanns, Senator Deb Fischer as well as Congressman Adrian Smith. We also meet with the National Corn Growers staff for some policy briefings and received updates from the North American Millers Association as well as the Animal Agriculture Alliance.
This trip reminded me of the importance to take the time to become involved in your organization whether it is the corn growers, soybean growers, cattlemen, pork producers or other commodity group or farm organization! Of all the lobbying efforts in Washington DC our Senators and Congressmen most like to hear from you the producer and how various issues will affect you.
Another thing I was really impressed with was the young group of Corn Growers that attended. They are well versed on the various issues facing agriculture today and realize that they must tell agriculture’s story. Nebraska agriculture and NE Corn Growers were well represented by the group that attended.
Cornhusker Economics Outlook Meetings
The 9th annual Cornhusker Economics Outlook meeting series will focus on the ag outlook and management decisions for farmers and ranchers at locations across the state in early March. One of these workshops will be held in Hastings at the Adams County Fairgrounds, 947 S. Baltimore Ave., 9:00 to 11:30 am on Monday, March 3rd. Another will be held in Lincoln at the Lancaster Extension Office, 444 Cherrycreek Rd, 6:30 – 9:00 pm on March 6.
These meetings are offered by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and the Department of Agricultural Economics and are available free to participants with the support of the Nebraska Corn Board, Great Western Bank, and Heritage Banks.
The agenda at a glance:
A fast-paced look at key outlook issues and management decisions for 2014 from leading experts at UNL.
Crops: The latest info on corn, soybean, and wheat markets for producer production and marketing decisions by Cory Walters, UNL Extension Crop Economist.
Livestock: The current outlook for cattle and hogs for producer production and marketing decisions by Kate Brooks, UNL Extension Livestock Economist.
Policy: The latest perspective on the volatile policy debate in D.C and the implications for ag policy and the farm bill by Brad Lubben, UNL Extension Policy Specialist.
Land and Leasing: An update on trends in land values and lease terms in a changing crop market environment by UNL Extension Educators.
The outlook agenda is packaged into a 2 ½ hour format to provide producers the best available information and send them home to ready to make 2014 management and marketing decisions.
More information about locations and details on the meeting is available on the web at: http://agecon.unl.edu/ceo or on our website at: http://york.unl.edu/crops-future.
You can also contact Dr. Brad Lubben at 402-472-2235 for additional information. Although there is no cost to participants, pre-registration is encouraged to plan for facilities, refreshments, and materials. Register for the Hasting meeting at (402) 461-7209 and for the Lincoln meeting at (402) 223-1384.
UNL Research: Fructose Not Culprit in Obesity Epidemic
I just read an interesting news article prepared by Dr. Tim Carr, UNL Nutrition scientist related to fructose and obesity. It follows:
“Fructose has gotten a bad rap in the obesity epidemic, says a University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientist whose research shows fat and other sugars are the primary culprits.
From 1970-2009, obesity rates in the United States increased from 13 percent of the population to 34 percent. Dietary fructose has been blamed as a possible contributor to this increase.
Nutrition scientist Tim Carr found that’s not the case, though. While the total energy availability in Americans’ food increased 10.7 percent over that period, consumption of fructose did not increase.
Carr based his findings on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Database and its Nutrition Database for Standard Reference.
Those resources, rich in data about Americans’ eating patterns over the years, show that the energy available from total glucose increased 13 percent. The main source of glucose in the American diet is starch. Also, glucose availability was more than three times that for fructose. Energy available from protein, carbohydrates and fat increased 4.7 percent, 9.8 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively.
“It is a misconception that fructose is a unique contributor to obesity,” said Carr, who chairs UNL’s Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences.
Some of that misconception may stem from the fact that the consumption of one type of fructose – high fructose corn syrup – has increased significantly over the last 40 years, but it has replaced another source of fructose – table sugar – leaving total consumption steady, Carr said.
“We’re focusing the spotlight in the wrong place,” Carr said. “Fructose turns out to be a relatively small contributor to the overall food supply.”
In 1970, fructose availability was 63.2 grams per day. It has fluctuated in the years since, but stood at 62.4 grams in 2009.
“We conclude that increased total energy intake, due to increased availability of foods providing glucose (primarily as a starch in grains) and fat to be a significant contributor to increased obesity in the U.S.” wrote Carr and graduate student Trevor Carden in an article outlining their findings in the December 2013 issue of Nutrition Journal, which can be found at http://go.unl.edu/bt40.
The research was supported by the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research Division with funds provided through the Hatch Act.â€
I hope you will check out the complete findings in the December Nutrition Journal.
